马来西亚《雇员住房、住宿和福利最低标准法》

繁星追梦

LAWS OF MALAYSIA

REPRINT

Act 446

EMPLOYEES’ MINIMUM

STANDARDS OF HOUSING,

ACCOMMODATIONS AND

AMENITIES ACT  1990

As at 1 February 2021

PUBLISHED BY

THE COMMISSIONER OF LAW REVISION, MALAYSIA

UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE REVISION OF LAWS ACT  1968

2021

EMPLOYEES’ MINIMUM STANDARDS OF HOUSING, ACCOMMODATIONS AND AMENITIES ACT 1990

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Part  I

PRELIMINARY

Section

1.     Short title, application and commencement

2.    Extent of application of Part II

3.    Interpretation

4.    Exemption

Part  II

HOUSING AND OTHER AMENITIES

5.    Building to comply with requirements

6.     Supply of water and electricity and maintenance of houses

7.    Erection of building intended to be used for the housing of employees, as nursery or as community hall

8.    Building endangering health or safety

9.    Building  not  originally built for the housing of employees

10.    Nursery

11.    Allotment of land

12.     Community hall, sports and other recreational facilities

13.    No rent or charge to be levied for benefits under this Part

Part  III

HEALTH, HOSPITAL, MEDICAL TREATMENT AND SANITATION

Section

14.       Definition of dependant

15.       Employer to construct and maintain estate hospital

16.       Payment and recovery of hospital expenses by employer

17.       Sick employees being  admitted to a Government hospital

18.       Transportation of sick employees to hospital

19.       Medical treatment in estate on which a hospital is not maintained

20.       Duty to report suspected cases of infectious disease

21.       Duty of employer to segregate employee suffering from infectious disease

22.       Power of Medical Officer of Health to order immunization against infectious disease

23.       Weekly inspection of employees’ housing

24.       Onus of proof

Part  IIIa

ACCOMMODATIONS

24a .    Application

24b .    Interpretation

24c .    Functions   and  powers  of  Director   General  in  relation   to

accommodation

24d .    Accommodation to be certified with Certificate for Accommodation

24e .    Employer to give notice of occupation

24f .    Accommodation to comply with minimum standards

24g .    Deductions  in respect  of rent or charge for accommodation

24h .    Accommodation  to  comply with the laws of local authorities

24i .    Amenities

24j .    Duties  and responsibilities  in respect of safety  and health

24k .    Maintenance

Section

24l .    Appointment  of person  in charge of accommodation

24m .    Notice to vacate accommodation

24n .    Employer  not  obligated  to  provide  accommodation  for  employees’dependants

Part  IV

REGULATIONS

25.       Regulations

Part  V

GENERAL PROVISIONS, APPEALS AND OFFENCES

26.       Minister may vest certain officers with power and duties

26a .    Power to issue directions

27.       Power of Director General, etc . to inspect, investigate and to issue summons

28.       Institution of prosecution  28a .     Compounding of offences

28b .    Protection against suits and legal proceedings

29.       Director General and officers deemed to be public servants 29a .     Offence by company, etc .

30.       Appeals

31.       Failure to comply with order under  section 5, 8,  12,  15  or  19

32.       Failure to comply with  section 20 or 21

33.       General penalty

Part  VI

REPEAL AND SAVINGS

34.       Repeal and savings in respect thereof

Schedule

LAWS OF MALAYSIA

Act 446

EMPLOYEES’ MINIMUM STANDARDS OF HOUSING, ACCOMMODATIONS AND AMENITIES ACT 1990

An  Act  to  prescribe  the  minimum  standards  of  housing  and nurseries  for  employees  and  their  dependants,  accommodations for  employees  not  accompanied  by  dependants  and  centralized accommodations, to require employers to allot land for cultivation and grazing in a place of employment, to require employers to provide  health,  hospital,  medical  and  social  amenities  and  to provide for matters incidental thereto.

[Peninsular Malaysia—1 December 1990 , P.U. (B) 114/1991; *Federal Territory of Labuan—1 June 2020 , P.U. (B) 248/2020]

BE IT ENACTED by the Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Dewan  Negara  and Dewan Rakyat in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Part  I

PRELIMINARY

Short title, application and commencement

1.  (1)  This  Act  may  be  cited  as  the  **Employees’  Minimum Standards of Housing, Accommodations and Amenities Act  1990.

(2)  This Act shall apply to Peninsular Malaysia and the Federal Territory of Labuan.

NOTE —

*This Act  is  applicable  to  the  Federal Territory  of Labuan by paragraph  4(b)  of the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities (Amendment) Act 2019  [Act A1604] which comes  into operation on  1 June 2020.

**Previously known as the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act  1990. The short title is changed by paragraph 4(a) of Act A1604 .

(3)  This Act shall come into force on such date as the Minister may, by notification in the  Gazette appoint, and different dates may  be  appointed  for  different  provisions  of  this  Act  and  for different States.

Extent of application of Part II

2.  (1)  Part II of this Act shall not apply to anyplace of employment or  part  thereof,  situated  within  the  area  of  a  City  Council,  a Municipal Council or a Federal Territory.

(2)  Notwithstanding subsection (1), the Minister may, by order, declare  this  Act  or  any  provision  thereof  to  be  applicable  to any place  of employment  or to  any  specified  class  of place  of employment situated within the area of any Municipal Council.

(3)  Upon  the  commencement  of  any  order  made  under subsection (2), any written law in force in, such area relating to the control of erection of buildings shall, in respect of the said place of employment, cease to have effect.

Interpretation

3.  In this Act, unless the context otherwise require —

“building” means, in relation to Part II, any building used for the housing of employees and includes a nursery and a community hall;

“contract  of  service”  means  any  agreement,  whether  oral  or in writing and whether express or implied, whereby one person agrees to employ another as an employee and that other person agrees to serve his employer as an employee;

“dependant” means the spouse, parent (including stepfather and stepmother), grandparent, child (including stepchild), brother and sister (including half-brother and half-sister and stepbrother and stepsister) of an employee, who is dependent on such employee, and includes —

(a)  as respects a child, an illegitimate child or a child adopted in accordance with any written law relating to adoption; and

(b)  as respects parents, the parents of an illegitimate child, and any person by whom the employee was adopted in accordance with any written law relating to adoption;

“Director  General”  means  the  Director  General  of  Labour appointed  under  subsection  3(1)  of  the  Employment  Act  1955 [Act 265]  and  includes  any  officer  who,  by  virtue  of  an  order made under section 26, is vested with all or any of the powers of the Director General;

“District Engineer”, in respect of a district, means any engineer in the service of the Federal or State Government who is for the time being carrying out the duties of the Public Works Department for that district and, for the purpose of subsection 27(1), includes any  officer  authorized  in  writing  in  that behalf by  the  District Engineer;

“employee” has the meaning assigned to it in subsection 2(1) of the Employment Act  1955;

“employer” means —

(a)  any person who has entered into a contract of service to employ any other person as an employee and includes the  agent, manager  and  factor  of such  first-mentioned person; or

(b)  where the owner or lessee (including the agent, manager and factor of such owner or lessee) of a place of employment (hereinafter referred to as “the first-mentioned person”) has entered into an agreement, whether oral or in writing and whether expressed or implied, with another person for the purpose of executing any work for or connected with  any business, trade, operation or interest of such first-mentioned person, the term “employer” shall also include such first-mentioned person,

and  the  word  “employ”,  with  its  grammatical  variations  and cognate expressions, shall be construed accordingly;

“estate” means any agricultural land exceeding twenty hectares in extent upon which agricultural operations of any kind are carried on or upon which the produce of any plants or trees is collected or  treated,  or  any  mine  or  any  other  place  of  employment  so declared by order of the Minister;

“Medical  Officer”  means  a  registered  medical  practitioner who is employed in a medical capacity by the Federal or State Government;

“Medical Officer of Health” means any medical practitioner in the service of the Government or any local authority who is for the time being  carrying  out the  duties  of a Medical  Officer  of Health in any area, district, or local authority area, and includes the  Director  General,  the  Deputy  Director  General  of  Health, the Director of Health Services, any Deputy Director of Health Services, any State Director of Medical and Health Services and any State Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services, and for the purpose of subsection 27(1), includes any officer authorized in writing in that behalf by the Medical Officer of Health;

“Minister” means the Minister charged with the responsibility for human resources;

“place of employment” means  a place where work is carried on by or on behalf of or for an employer and shall include any place in which employees are housed by an employer;

“registered medical practitioner” means a medical practitioner registered under the Medical Act  1971  [Act 50];

“resident manager”, in relation to an estate, means any employer or agent of an employer who resides on, or is in immediate charge of, the estate in which the employees are employed;

“resident  registered  medical  practitioner”,  in  relation  to  an estate, means any registered medical practitioner employed by the employer and who resides on the estate in which the employees are employed.

Exemption

4.  The  Minister  may  by  order  exempt  from  all  or  any  of  the provisions of this Act any employer or class of employers or any building or class of buildings specified in the order.

Part  II

HOUSING AND OTHER AMENITIES

Building to comply with requirements

5.  (1)  Except  as  provided  in  subsection  (2), no employer  shall house or cause or permit to be housed any employee employed by  him  or  by  any  other  person  (with  whom  he  has  contracted for  the  purpose  of  executing  any  work  for  or  connected  with his business, trade, operation or interest) in any building either owned by him or is within his possession or control which does not  comply  with  the  provisions  of  this Act  or  any  regulations made thereunder.

(2)  Any building which immediately before the commencement of this Act was used for the housing of employees or as a nursery or  as  a  community  hall  by  an  employer  and  was  erected  or converted in accordance with the requirements of any written law in force at the time of its erection or conversion may continue to be used by such employer:

Provided that  such building be converted to comply with the provisions of this Act or any regulations made thereunder.

(3)  Notwithstanding the provision in subsection (2), the Director General, upon application by an employer, may permit,  subject to any condition as he may impose, such building to continue to be used without conversion for such period as he deems fit.

(4)  Pursuant to any investigation carried out on any place of employment,  where  the  Director  General  is  satisfied  that  any building which immediately before or after the commencement of this Act was used for the housing of employees or their dependants or as a nursery or as a community hall does not comply with the provisions  of this Act  or  any  regulations  made  thereunder,  the Director General may issue to the employer concerned a notice, of not less than three months, of his intention to order demolition and replacement, alteration, repair or making good any deficiency or defect thereof.

(5)  Where, upon the expiry of the aforesaid notice period, the employer fails to take such action as is required to the satisfaction of the Director General, the Director General may issue to the employer concerned an order in writing requiring the employer to demolish and replace, alter or repair such building or to make good any deficiency or defect thereof within  six months of the order and subject to such conditions as the Director General may specify in the order; and any such order may include a directive that no employee or his dependants shall be permitted to occupy any  such  building  pending  such  demolition  and  replacement, alteration or repair, or the making good of any defect or deficiency thereof, or until the requirements of the order have been complied with:

Provided that where an appeal has been made under section 30 in respect  of the  order  issued  under  this  subsection,  then  such order shall be suspended pending the determination of the appeal.

Supply of water and electricity and maintenance of houses

6.  (1)  Where employees and their dependants are provided with housing at their place of employment, it shall be the duty of the employer of such place of employment —

(a)  to provide free and adequate piped water drawn from a public main, or where the Director General so permits in writing, to provide free and adequate supply of potable piped water drawn from  any  other  source which  shall be  filtered  and  treated  in  a  manner  approved  by  the Director General;

(b)  to provide adequate electricity supply;

(c)  to ensure that the buildings are kept in a good state of repair and painted to present a satisfactory appearance; and

(d)  to ensure that no unauthorized extensions or structural alterations are made to the buildings.

(2)  For the purpose of this section, the adequacy of water and electricity supply shall be as determined by the Director General:

Provided  that  the  Director  General  may,  if he  is  satisfied  in any case that it is impracticable to provide piped water  supply for each house, approve any other means of water supply:

Provided  further  that  the  Director  General  may,  in  any  case where he  is  satisfied that the provision  of electricity  supply  is not practicable or viable, exempt the employer in writing from the requirement of such provision.

(3)  Where  water  supply  is  drawn  from  a  source  other  than a  public  main,  the  Director  General  may,  for  the  purpose  of ensuring that the water supply is suitable for consumption, cause the Medical  Officer of Health to take  samples of water  supply for analysis and report the costs of which shall be borne by the employer.

(4)  Where  water  supply  is  obtained  from  a  public  main  and is piped to each house, the Director General may, on application made to him, partly or wholly exempt the employer in writing from the requirement to provide free water supply to the employees subject to such conditions as the Director General may impose.

(5)  Where  any  extension  or  structural  alteration  has  been made  to  the  buildings  without  the  permission  of  the  Director General,  the  Director  General  may,  after  giving  one  month’s notice, require the employer to have the extension or structural alteration demolished.

Erection of building intended to be used for the housing of employees, as nursery or as community hall

7.  (1)  In relation to a building which is to be erected or converted for  the  housing  of  employees  or  for  use  as  a  nursery  or  as  a community hall, there shall be submitted by the employer to the Director General for the approval of the approving authority as provided  in  subsection  (2)  the plans  of the building  and  of its site, and no work relating to the building shall be begun unless and until the plans so submitted have been approved.

(2)  The approving authority aforesaid shall be —

(a)  in the case of a plan of a building, the Director General; and

(b)  in  the  case  of a plan  of the  site  of a building  and  of the  sanitary  arrangements,  the  Medical  Officer  of Health.

(3)  For  the purpose  of securing  that  the  minimum  standards required under this Act or any regulations made thereunder are complied with, the approving authority may approve such plans subject to such conditions (including alterations of the plans) as he may deem fit to impose thereon.

Building endangering health or safety

8.  (1)  The  Director General  shall cause to be inspected —

(a)  by  a  Medical  Officer  of  Health,  any  building,  estate hospital,  group  estate  hospital  or  clinic  on  a place  of employment which, by reason of its design,  site,  size, sanitation, the quantity and quality of the water supply provided  for the  occupants  of such buildings  or  other conditions, appears to the Director General to be likely to endanger health; and

(b)  by the District Engineer, any building, estate hospital, group estate hospital or clinic on a place of employment which, by reason of its construction, state of repair or condition, appears to the Director General to be likely to endanger the safety of any person.

(2)  The Medical Officer of Health or the District Engineer or both,  as  the  case  may  be,  shall,  after  inspecting  any  building, estate hospital, group estate hospital or clinic under this section, submit to the Director General a report of his or their findings, together  with  any  recommendation  made  thereon  relating  to the necessary measures required to be taken in respect of such building, estate hospital, group estate hospital or clinic.

(3)  Subject  to  subsection  (4), on receipt of such report as is referred to in subsection (2), the Director General may issue to the employer concerned an order in writing requiring the employer to demolish and replace, alter or repair the building, estate hospital, group estate hospital  or clinic  or to make  good  any  deficiency or defect within such time and subject to such conditions as the Director General may specify in the order and  such order may, if necessary, direct that no employee or his dependants shall be permitted to occupy any of the aforesaid buildings pending such demolition and replacement, alteration or repair or until the order has been complied with:

Provided that where an appeal has been made under section 30 in respect of the order then such order shall be suspended pending the decision of the appeal.

(4)  No  order  under  subsection  (3)  shall  be  issued  unless  a copy  of  the  report  received  by  the  Director  General  from  the Medical  Officer of Health or the District Engineer or both has been  furnished  to  the  employer,  and  in  making  such  order the Director General shall give due consideration to any representation that may be made by the employer in respect of the report.

Building not originally built for the housing of employees

9.  (1)  A  building  originally  built  for  a  purpose  other  than  the housing of employees shall not be used for, or be converted for the purpose of, the housing of employees unless an application in  that behalf has been  made  to  and  approved by  the  Director General.

(2)  The application required to be made under subsection (1) shall be accompanied by a plan of the site of the building and a plan setting out the details of the building or of the conversion proposed to be made thereto  and  subsections 7(2)  and  (3)  shall  apply to such plan as they apply to a plan of a building or of the site of a building mentioned in that section.

Nursery

10. (1)  Where  there  are  employees  residing  on  the  place  of employment and such employees have together no less than five dependants under four years of age living with them, the Director General may, by order, require the employer of such employees to construct at the place of employment within such reasonable time as may be specified therein a nursery of a size capable of accommodating such number of employees’ dependants as may be specified therein,  and on being  so required, the employer  shall construct such nursery accordingly:

Provided  that  any  subsequent  reduction  in  the  number  of dependants  after the  order has been  issued  shall  not  invalidate such order.

(2)  The  employer  shall  maintain  the  nursery  and  shall accommodate  therein  the  dependants  of  the  employees  during the period  in  which  such  employees  are  away  working  for  the employer:

Provided that he shall not accommodate therein such dependants in excess of the number specified in the requirement mentioned in subsection (1) .

(3)  On each day a dependant is accommodated at the nursery, he  shall be provided by the employer  at his own expense with a supply of milk in sufficient quantity and of good quality, and play equipment.

(4)  An employer who fails to comply with the provisions of this section commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand ringgit and to a further fine of one thousand ringgit for each day during which the offence continues.

Allotment of land

11.  (1)  Where  there  are  employees  residing  on  the  place  of employment,  the  employer  of  such  employees  shall  set  aside land  which  has  been  cleared,  for  allotment  to  such  employees for cultivation, grazing or partly cultivation and partly grazing:

Provided that an employer is not required to excise any permanent cultivation which has been planted by him at least twelve months previously.

(2)  An  employee  residing  on  the  place  of  employment  who has been employed for a period of not less than six months by the employer shall be entitled to have allotted to him an area of 250 square metres of the land so set aside.

(3)  If an area of land allotted for cultivation (whether wholly or  partly)  shall  remain  unplanted  for  a  period  of  six  months from the date of the allotment, or if an employee uses the area of  land  allotted  to  him  for  a  purpose  different  from  that  for which  it  was  allotted,  or  if  he  does  not  use  it  at  all  for  the purpose  for  which  it  was  allotted  the  employer  may  terminate such  allotment  and  thereafter  may  allot  such  area  of  land  to another employee.

(4)  In relation to the setting aside of land under this section —

(a)  land allotted to employees  shall be situated as near as possible to the houses of the employees; and

(b)  land  for  grazing  shall,  except  with  the  permission  in writing  of a Medical  Officer of Health, be  situated  at a distance of not less than  183 meters from the houses of the employees.

(5)  The Director General may, for sufficient reason, exempt to such extent, as may be stated in such exemption, any employer from compliance with this section on such terms and conditions and for such period as he may deem fit.

(6)  Any  employer  who  contravenes  the  provisions  of  this section  commits  an  offence  and  shall,  on  conviction,  be liable  to  a  fine  not  exceeding  fifty  thousand  ringgit  and  to  a further  fine  of one  thousand  ringgit  for  every  day  the  offence continues.

(7)  In this  section, “place of employment”, in relation to the allotment of land set aside, means an estate or such other place as may be prescribed by the Minister to be a place of employment to which this section applies.

Community hall, sports and other recreational facilities

12. (1)  The Director General may, by order, require the employer in  any place  of employment  where there  are not less than  one hundred employees residing at the place of employment —

(a)  to  construct  at  the  place  of  employment,  within  such reasonable time as may be specified, a community hall capable of accommodating  such number of persons  as may be specified; and

(b)  to  provide  facilities  for  sports  and  other  recreational activities as may be specified.

(2)  The  employer  shall  maintain  the  community  hall,  sports and other recreational facilities in a satisfactory condition.

(3)  Any  employer  who  fails  to  comply  with  the  provisions of this section commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable  to  a  fine  not  exceeding  fifty  thousand  ringgit  and  to  a further fine of one thousand ringgit for each day during which the offence continues.

No rent or charge to be levied for benefits under this Part

13.  An employee shall not be required to make any payment for rent or charge in respect of any housing, nursery, community hall, sports and other recreational facilities, sanitation, or allotment of land provided for the employee under this Part.

Part  III

HEALTH, HOSPITAL, MEDICAL TREATMENT AND SANITATION

Definition of dependant

14.  For the purposes of this Part, “dependant” means such member of  the  employee’s  family,  namely,  spouse,  father,  mother,  and children  under  the  age  of eighteen,  including  children  adopted in  accordance  with  any  written  law,  who  are  living  with  and dependent on the employee.

Employer to construct and maintain estate hospital

15. (1)  The  Director  General  may,  at  any  time  by  order  in writing,  require  any  employer  to  construct  within  a reasonable time to be stated in such order and thereafter to maintain at his own expense, a hospital, hereinafter called the “estate hospital”, on or in the immediate neighbourhood of any estate upon which employees  are  employed by him  with  accommodation  for  such number of patients as may be stated in such order.

(2)  Where  there  is  already  a  hospital  maintained  by  the employer, the Director General may, by order in writing, require the employer to enlarge or add to such hospital so as to provide accommodation for a further number of patients as may be stated in the order.

(3)  For the purposes of subsection (1) or (2), the Director General may further require the employer to employ a registered medical practitioner, registered under the Medical Act  1971, to reside at and have charge of such hospital or any hospital maintained by such  employer,  and  to  provide  such  medical  practitioner  with fit  and  proper  house  accommodation  to  the  satisfaction  of  the Medical Officer of Health.

(4)  If  two  or  more  estates  are  so  situated  that  the  required accommodation for patients from such estates can be conveniently provided  in  one  hospital,  the  Director  General  may,  instead  of ordering  each  employer  to  construct  and  maintain  a  separate hospital,  order  all the employers  concerned to  construct within a  reasonable  time  to  be  stated  in  such  order  and  thereafter to  maintain  at  their  own  expense  one  hospital,  hereinafter called  a  “group  estate  hospital”,  for  all  such  estates  with

accommodation for such number of patients as may be stated in the order, or if there is already a hospital erected and maintained jointly by two or more employers (whether constructed under the provisions of this section or not) may order them to enlarge or add to  such hospital  so  as  to  provide  accommodation  for  such further  number  of patients  from  their  estates  as  may  be  stated in the order.

(5)  For  the purposes  of subsection  (4),  the  Director  General may further require the employers to employ a registered medical practitioner, registered under the Medical Act 1971, to have charge of such group hospital and to provide such medical practitioner with fit and proper house accommodation to the  satisfaction of the Medical Officer of Health.

(6)  Where there already exists an estate hospital or group estate hospital, the Director General may order the employers concerned to join such estate hospital or group estate hospital, as the case may be, and be jointly responsible for the maintenance of such hospital.

(7)  Every employer referred to in this section and the resident manager of every estate concerned  shall be responsible for the registration  and  the  due  maintenance  of  the  estate  hospital  or group estate hospital, as the case may be, registered in accordance with the provisions of the *Private Hospitals Act  1971  [Act 43] and any regulations made thereunder.

(8)  No  employer  who  has  constructed  and  maintained  an estate hospital or a group estate hospital, whether in pursuance of  an  order  of  the  Director  General  under  this  section  or otherwise,  shall  reduce  the  number  of  beds  or  discontinue  the maintenance and operation of such estate hospital or group estate hospital  without  the  prior  written  permission  of  the  Director General.

Payment and recovery of hospital expenses by employer

16. (1)  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  every  employer  to  provide  for every employee employed on an estate including his dependants who reside on such estate or on any other land owned or leased by or is within the control of the employer, medical attendance, care and treatment including diet at the estate hospital or group estate hospital established under section 15 or at the estate clinic established under section  19.

*NOTE—This Act has been repealed by the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act  1998 [Act 586] which comes into operation on 1 May 2006–see section 119 of Act 586 and P.U. (B) 93/2006 .

(2)  The  employer  may  recover  from  such  employee  the expenses  of such  care,  treatment  and  maintenance  at  such  rate as the Minister may from time to time prescribe by notification in the Gazette in respect of any period in excess of thirty days during which such employee or any of his dependants shall have remained in the hospital.

Sick employees being admitted to a Government hospital

17. (1)  If an employee at the time of his admission to a Government hospital was employed and residing on any estate, the employer shall  pay  the  expenses  of  maintenance  and  treatment  in  such hospital of such employee and of any dependant of such employee at such rate as the Minister may, from time to time, prescribe by notification in the Gazette.

(2)  The expenses incurred under subsection (1) shall, whatever be the amount, be recoverable from the employer in a Civil Court at the suit of the Medical Officer in charge of such hospital, and the certificate of such Medical Officer shall be sufficient prima facie evidence that the amount therein specified is due from the employer:

Provided that not more than thirty days’ expenses in hospital in respect of any employee or dependant shall be recoverable.

(3)  No expenses paid by an employer under subsection (1) shall be recoverable from any employee.

Transportation of sick employees to hospital

18. (1)  It shall be the duty of the employer and of the resident manager at their own expenses —

(a)  to  have  every  employee  employed  on  the  estate  and any dependant of such employee who requires medical treatment to be transported safely without delay to and from the hospital provided for employees employed on the estate or, if there is no such hospital, to and from the nearest Government hospital; and

(b)  to make such arrangements and to provide such appliances for  the  safe  transport  of  a  sick  employee  or  any  sick dependant of an employee to and from hospital as the Medical Officer of Health or any Medical Officer may, from time to time, require.

(2)  The Medical Officer of Health or any Medical Officer may require the employer or resident manager to remove any employee on the estate who requires medical treatment to hospital.

(3)  Any  employer  or  resident  manager  who  contravenes  the provisions  of  this  section  commits  an  offence  and  shall,  on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand ringgit and to a further fine of one thousand ringgit a day for each day during which the offence continues.

Medical treatment in estate on which a hospital is not maintained

19. (1)  On any estate where there is no estate hospital or a group estate  hospital  available,  the  Director  General  may,  by  order, after consultation with the Medical Officer of Health, require an employer to establish and maintain a clinic or make such other provisions as are necessary for the treatment of sick employees and their dependants.

(2)  The Director General shall specify in such order the services, medicine,  equipment  and  staff  to  be  provided  and  the  hours during which the treatment facilities shall be made available to the employees and their dependants.

(3)  Where  a  clinic  exists  on  any  estate  or  is  established pursuant to an order under subsection (1), it shall be the duty of the employer to arrange for a registered medical practitioner to visit the clinic at least once a fortnight to supervise the operations and management of the clinic and to provide medical treatment to employees and their dependants.

(4)  No employer who has established and maintained a clinic, whether pursuant to an order of the Director General made under this section or otherwise, shall reduce the services, facilities or staff or discontinue the maintenance and operation of such clinic without the prior written permission of the Director General.

Duty to report suspected cases of infectious disease

20. (1)  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  resident  registered  medical practitioner or, in his absence or if there is no resident registered medical practitioner, the resident manager, to isolate at once any employee  or  other  person  on  an  estate  whom  he  may  suspect to  be  suffering  from  any  infectious  disease  as  defined  in  the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 [Act 342], and to detain under observation any other person whom he may deem likely to have contracted  such disease  and with the least possible delay to notify the nearest Medical Officer, and pending the  arrival  on  the  estate  of the  Medical  Officer  of Health,  the resident registered medical practitioner or the resident manager shall take appropriate preventive measures and thereafter consult the Medical Officer of Health on any further action to be taken.

(2)  Any  person  who  neglects  to  perform  the  duty  imposed upon  him  by  subsection  (1)  commits  an  offence  and  shall,  on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand ringgit and to a further fine of one thousand ringgit a day for each day during which the offence continues.

Duty  of  employer  to  segregate  employee  suffering  from infectious disease

21. (1)  On the occurrence of any infectious disease on any estate, it shall be the duty of the employer forthwith, if so directed by the Medical Officer of Health or a Medical Officer, to provide a place where  an  employee  may  be  segregated  in  the  interest  of public health  or  of any  other employee employed  on the estate  and to make at his own expense such arrangements for the maintenance of such employee while so segregated and for the treatment of any employee suffering from such disease as may seem necessary to the Medical Officer of Health or such Medical Officer.

(2)  If  at  any  time  it  appears  to  the  Medical  Officer  of Health or a Medical Officer that an employee employed on any estate is suffering from any infectious disease or that it is otherwise necessary in the interest of public health or of the health of any other employee employed on the estate that he be removed and placed under medical supervision, it shall be lawful for the Medical Officer of Health or Medical Officer to cause such employee to be removed to such place as he may direct and there to be detained until discharged by order in writing of the Medical Officer of Health or a Medical Officer.

Power  of Medical  Officer  of Health  to  order  immunization against infectious disease

22.  The Medical Officer of Health may, at any time if it appears to him necessary for the health of the employees employed on any estate by order in writing to the employer or resident manager, direct that such employer or resident manager at his own expense make arrangements so that all or any of the employees and their dependants be given immunization against any infectious disease.

Weekly inspection of employees’ housing

23. (1)  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  employer  of  a  place  of employment where employees and their dependants are provided with housing accommodation to ensure that —

(a)  the  area  surrounding  the  employees’  housing  is  kept clear  of  undergrowth  and  maintained  in  a  clean  and sanitary condition;

(b)  the perimeter drains around each dwelling or block of dwellings including all outlet drains are kept in a good state  of  repair  and  clear  of  refuse  or  undergrowth  to permit free flow of water;

(c)  all refuse in the housing site is collected daily and disposed of satisfactorily; and

(d)  all communal latrines and bathrooms are kept in a clean, sanitary and working condition.

(2)  It shall be the duty of the employer to ensure that all buildings used for the housing of employees, nurseries or community halls are visited and inspected weekly by an estate hospital assistant registered  under  the  Estate  Hospital  Assistants  (Registration) Act  1965  [Act  435]  or  any other responsible person  authorized by  the  employer  who  shall  report  to  the  resident  manager  if the buildings  are  not kept  clean  or  if any refuse  is  allowed to accumulate in the neighbourhood of the buildings, and who shall also  examine  and  if  necessary  take,  or  cause  to  be  taken,  to hospital any employee found in the buildings who appears to be suffering  from  any  health  complaint  and  report  to  the  resident manager accordingly.

(3)  The findings  of the estate hospital  assistant or  any other authorized person shall be recorded in a book kept at the place of employment  and  be  made  available  to  the  Director  General or Medical Officer of Health for inspection.

(4)  In  any  case  where  the  Medical  Officer  of  Health  shall consider  that  the  visits,  inspections  or  other  duties,  prescribed by  subsection  (2)  are  not  satisfactorily  carried  out,  he  may notify  the  resident  manager  accordingly  specifying  the  matters in respect whereof he is not satisfied, and the resident manager shall thereupon make further or other arrangements as the Medical Officer of Health may require.

Onus of proof

24.  In all proceedings under this Part, the onus of proving that he is not the employer or resident manager or the person whose duty  it  is under the provisions  of this  Part to  do  or to  abstain from doing anything shall be on the person who alleges that he is not the employer, resident manager or other person, as the case may be.

Part  IIIa

ACCOMMODATIONS

Application

24a .    This  Part  shall  apply  to  employees  who  are  employed otherwise than to work in an estate .

Interpretation

24b .    In this Part —

“person  in  charge  of  accommodation”  means  any  person appointed  by  an  employer  or  centralized  accommodation provider to be responsible for the management of the accommodation, and  safety  and  health  of  the  employees  and  other  amenities in the accommodation;

“accommodation” means any permanent or temporary building or  structure including any house, hut,  shed or roofed enclosure used for the purpose of human habitation;

“centralized accommodation” means any building used for the housing of employees employed by one or more employers;

“centralized  accommodation  provider”  means  any  person who  provides  and  manages  a  centralized  accommodation  and supervises the services provided therein for one or more employers, but does not include an employer who provides accommodations for his own employees.

Functions  and  powers  of  Director  General  in  relation  to accommodation

24c .  (1)  For the purposes of this Part, the Director General shall have the following functions:

(a)  to  administer  and  regulate  all  matters  relating  to  an accommodation;

(b)  to  direct  employer  or  centralized  accommodation provider  to  submit  any  information  and  documents relating to an employee’s accommodation;

(c)  to issue any directions to an employer or a centralized accommodation provider to provide any other amenities relating to an accommodation;

(d)  to issue a Certificate for Accommodation; and

(e)  to do anything incidental to any of his functions under this Part.

(2)  The Director General shall have the powers to do all things necessary or expedient for or in connection with the performance of his functions under this Part.

Accommodation   to   be   certified   with   Certificate   for  Accommodation

24d .  (1)  No  accommodation  shall  be  provided  to  an  employee unless certified with a Certificate for Accommodation.

(2)  An application for a Certificate for Accommodation  shall be made by an employer or a centralized accommodation provider to  the  Director  General  in  the  form  and  manner  as  may  be determined  by  the  Director  General  and  shall  be  accompanied by the prescribed processing fee.

(3)  An employer who contravenes  subsection (1) commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand ringgit.

(4)  A  centralized  accommodation  provider  who  contravenes subsection  (1)  commits  an  offence  and  shall,  on  conviction, be  liable  to  a  fine  not  exceeding  fifty  thousand  ringgit  or  to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or to both.

Employer to give notice of occupation

24e .  (1)  An employer  shall, within thirty days from the date an accommodation is occupied by his employee, inform the Director General of such occupation in the form and manner as may be determined by the Director General.

(2) Any employer who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand ringgit.

Accommodation to comply with minimum standards

24f .    An  employer  or  a  centralized  accommodation  provider shall ensure that every  accommodation provided for employees complies with the minimum standards required under this Act or any regulations made thereunder.

Deductions in respect of rent or charge for accommodation

24g .  (1)  Subject to  any conditions  as may be prescribed by the Minister,  an  employer  may  collect  from  an  employee  any  sum for rent or charge in respect of any accommodation provided by the employer or any centralized accommodation provider under this Part.

(2)  The sum collected under subsection (1) shall be made by deductions from the wages of the employee.

Accommodation to comply with the laws of local authorities

24 h .  (1)  Notwithstanding   section  24 d ,  no  employer  or centralized  accommodation  provider  shall  use  any  building  as accommodation if the building is unfit for human habitation in accordance with the relevant written laws.

(2)  Any  employer  or  centralized  accommodation  provider who  contravenes  subsection  (1)  commits  an  offence  and  shall, on  conviction, be  liable to  a  fine  not  exceeding  fifty thousand ringgit.

Amenities

24i .    An  employer  or  a  centralized  accommodation  provider shall provide decent and adequate amenities in accordance with this Act or any regulations made thereunder.

Duties and responsibilities in respect of safety and health

24j .    An employer or a centralized accommodation provider who provides  accommodation  for  an  employee under this  Part  shall have the following duties and responsibilities:

(a)  to provide separate accommodation to employees of the opposite gender;

(b)  to  take  necessary  preventive  measures  to  ensure employees’ safety and well-being;

(c)  to  take  fire  safety  measures  in  accordance  with  the relevant written laws;

(d)  to ensure that the electrical wiring systems comply with safety  requirements  in  accordance  with  the  relevant written laws;

(e)  to  ensure  that  the  employees  receive  the  necessary medical assistance; and

(f)  to  take  preventive  measures  to  contain  the  spread  of infectious  diseases  as  ordered  by  the  Medical  Officer of Health in accordance with the relevant written laws and  the  employer  shall,  at  his  own  expense,  make arrangements  as  ordered  by  the  Medical  Officer  of Health  so  that  all  or  any  of  the  employees  be  given immunization against any infectious disease.

Maintenance

24k .    An  employer  and  a  centralized  accommodation  provider shall ensure that every  accommodation provided for employees under this Part is maintained as directed by the Director General.

Appointment of person in charge of accommodation

24l .  (1)  An employer or a centralized  accommodation provider shall  appoint  at  least  one  person  in  charge  of  accommodation provided under this Part, who will be responsible for the safety and  well-being  of  the  employees  and  the  management  of  the accommodations and amenities, in accordance with the provisions of this Act or any regulations made thereunder.

(2)  It   shall  be  the   duty   of  the   person   in   charge   of accommodation —

(a)  to ensure that employees comply with the disciplinary rules as may be determined by the employer;

(b)  to  visit  and  inspect  the  accommodation  at  least  twice a  month  and  keep  a  record  of  the  inspection  as  may be determined by the Director General in the place of employment; and

(c)  to ensure an employee is taken to a clinic or hospital if the employee complains of his health, or appears to be unwell or suffering from any disease or medical condition, and keeps a record of complaints as may be determined by the Director General in the place of employment.

Notice to vacate accommodation

24m .  (1)  Subject to subsection (2), if an employee resigns under a contract of service or his employment is otherwise terminated by not less than  four weeks’ notice, the  employee  shall vacate the accommodation upon the effective date of his resignation or the date the contract of service is terminated.

(2)  Notwithstanding subsection (1), an employee whose contract of  service  is  terminated  by  less  than  four  weeks’  notice  or  is terminated with immediate effect shall vacate the accommodation within  four  weeks  from  the  date  of  the  notice  or  the  date  the contract of service is terminated.

Employer  not  obligated  to  provide  accommodation  for employees’ dependants

24n .    Nothing in this Part shall render an employer obligated to provide accommodation for the dependants of an employee who is provided with accommodation under this Part.

Part  IV

REGULATIONS

Regulations

25. (1)  The Minister may, from time to time, make such regulations as  may  be  necessary  or  expedient  for  giving  full  effect  to  the provisions of this Act, or for the further, better or more convenient implementation of the provisions of this Act.

(2)  Without  prejudice  to  the  generality  of  subsection  (1), regulations may be made —

(a)  to  prescribe  the  minimum  requirements  for  various classes of buildings (including temporary buildings) to be used for the housing of employees, or as nurseries or community halls, the minimum sanitary requirements, water  supplies,  potable  water  supplies  and  electricity supplies and other matters pertaining to health in respect of such buildings;

(aa)  to  prescribe  the  minimum  requirements  for  various classes of buildings to be used for the accommodation and  centralized  accommodation  of  employees  and  the minimum sanitary requirements, water supplies, potable water supplies and electricity supplies and other matters pertaining to health in respect of such buildings;

(ab)  to prescribe any class, category or description of employees that  is  required  to  be  provided  with  accommodation under Part IIIa ;

(ac)  to  prescribe  the  maximum  rental  or  charges  for accommodation that may be collected under Part IIIa ;

(b)  to prescribe the minimum equipment and staff for nurseries and the type and amount of milk, play equipment and play activity programmes to be provided for the dependants accommodated therein under section  10;

(c)  to prescribe, in consultation with the Minister of Health —

(i)  as  regards  clinics,  the  minimum  equipment, surgical  and  medical  appliances,  drugs,  staff and  the  types  of  services  to  be  provided  and the registers and records to be kept; and

(ii)  as  regards  water  supply,  the  manner  in  which water is to be filtered and treated;

(d)  to prescribe the procedure for the submission and approval of plans of buildings and their sites;

(e)  to prescribe the form of any register, summons or order required to be kept, issued or made under this Act; and

(f)  to prescribe anything which may be prescribed under this Act.

Part  V

GENERAL PROVISIONS, APPEALS AND OFFENCES

Minister may vest certain officers with power and duties

26.  The Minister may, by order, vest in an officer appointed under subsection 3(2) of the Employment Act 1955 and in the Director General of Social Welfare and authorized officers appointed under the Child Care Centre Act 1984 [Act 308] all or any of the powers conferred upon the Director General by this Act and every duty so performed and every power so exercised shall be deemed to have been performed and exercised for the purpose of this Act.

Power to issue directions

26a .    The  Minister  may  issue  such  directions  as  he  considers necessary for the purposes of ensuring compliance with this Act.

Power of Director General, etc . to inspect, investigate and to issue summons

27. (1)  The  Director  General,  Medical  Officer  of  Health  or District Engineer shall have power at all times without the need for previous notice —

(a)  to  enter  and  inspect  any  place  of  employment  or  any building which he believes is used by an employer for the housing  of his  employees  or  as  a  nursery  or  as  a community hall;

(b)  to  enter  and  inspect  any  estate  hospital,  group  estate hospital and clinic where employees are provided with medical attendance, care and treatment; and

(c)  to  make  such  inquiry  or  investigation  as he  considers necessary in relation to any matter within the provisions of this Act.

(2)  In the course of an inspection under this Act, the Director General, Medical Officer of Health or District Engineer may —

(a)  put  questions  relating  to  matters  covered  under  the provisions of this Act, either in private or in the presence of witnesses, as they may choose, to the owner or occupier of the  place  of  employment,  or  his  representative,  to the employer of any employee employed thereat or his representative, to any person in charge of the employees, to  the  employees  themselves  and  to  any  other  person whose evidence he may consider necessary; and all such persons shall be legally bound to answer such questions truthfully to the best of their ability;

(b)  require the employer to produce before him all or any of the  employees  employed by him together with  any records,  registers  and  documents  relating  to  matters covered under the provisions of this Act including any contract of service, book of account of wages, register and any other document relating to such employees or their employment and to answer such questions in respect thereof as he may think fit to ask;

(c)  copy  or  make  extracts  from  such  record,  contract  of service,  book  of  account  of  wages,  register  and  any other document referred to in paragraph (b);

(d)  take possession of such record, contract of service, book of account of wages, register and  any other document where in his opinion —

(i)  the inspection, copying or the making of extracts from  such record, contract of service, book of account of wages, register or any other document cannot reasonably be undertaken without taking possession of them;

(ii)  they may be interfered with or destroyed unless he takes possession of them; or

(iii)  they  may  be  needed  as  evidence  in  any  legal proceedings under this Act; and

(e)  take samples of water supplies for examination and analysis .

(3)  As respects the power to inspect, inquire  and investigate aforesaid, the Director General may by summons in the prescribed form require  any person, whom he has reason to believe to be able to give any information relevant to the matter in question, to  give  such  information,  and  any  person  so  summoned  shall be  bound  to  attend  before  the  Director  General  and  to  answer truthfully any question put to him by the Director General relating to the said matter.

(4)  Sections  82  and  83  of  the  Employment  Act   1955  shall apply to the  service of a  summons issued under this  section as they apply to a summons issued under Part XV of the said Act.

Institution of prosecution

28.  A prosecution for any offence under this Act or any regulations made  thereunder  shall  not  be  instituted  except  by,  or  with  the written consent of, the Public Prosecutor.

Compounding of offences

28a .  (1)  The  Minister  may,  with  the  approval  of  the  Public Prosecutor, make regulations prescribing —

(a)  any offence under this Act or any regulations made under

this Act as an offence which may be compounded;

(b)  the criteria for compounding such offence; and

(c)  the method and procedure for compounding such offence.

(2)  The Director General or any officer authorized in writing by the Director General may, with the consent in writing of the Public Prosecutor, at any time before a charge is being instituted, compound  any  offence prescribed  as  an  offence  which may be compounded by making a written offer to the person reasonably suspected of having committed the offence to compound the offence upon payment  to  the  Director  General  of a  sum  of money  not exceeding fifty per centum of the amount of the maximum fine to  which  the person  would have been  liable  to  if he had been convicted of the offence, within  such time as may be  specified in the written offer.

(3)  An  offer  under  subsection  (2)  may  be  made  at  any  time after the offence has been committed but before any prosecution for it has been instituted.

(4)  If the amount specified in the offer is not paid within the time specified in the offer, or such extended time as the Director General may grant, prosecution for the offence may be instituted at any time after that against the person to whom the offer was made.

(5)  Where an offence has been compounded under this section —

(a)  no prosecution shall be instituted in respect of the offence against the person to whom the offer to compound was made; and

(b)  any  document  or  thing  seized  in  connection  with  the offence may be released by the Director General, subject to such terms as the Director General thinks fit.

(6)  All  sums  of  moneys  received  by  the  Director  General under this section shall be paid into and form part of the Federal Consolidated Fund.

Protection against suits and legal proceedings

28b .    No action, suit, prosecution or any other proceedings shall lie or be brought, instituted or maintained in  any court  against the Minister, the Director General or any officer vested in him with powers by the Minister under section 26 in respect of any act, neglect or default done or omitted by it or him in good faith, in such capacity.

Director General and officers deemed to be public servants

29.  The  Director  General  and  all  officers  named  in  any  order made under section 26 shall when exercising functions provided by this Act be deemed to be public servants for the purpose of the Penal Code  [Act 574] .

Offence by company, etc .

29a . Where any person who commits an offence under this Act is a company, limited liability partnership, firm, society or other body of persons, a person who at the time of the commission of the offence was a director, compliance officer, partner, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the company, limited liability partnership,  firm,  society  or  other  body  of  persons  or  was purporting to act in the capacity or was in any manner or to any extent responsible for the management  of any  of the  affairs  of the company, limited liability partnership, firm, society or other body of persons or was assisting in its management —

(a)  maybe charged severally or jointly in the same proceedings with  the  company,  limited  liability  partnership,  firm, society or the body of persons; and

(b)  if  the  company,  limited  liability  partnership,  firm, society  or  the  body  of persons  is  found  guilty  of the offence,  shall  be  deemed  to  be  guilty  of  that  offence and  shall be liable to the  same punishment or penalty as an individual unless, having regard to the nature of his functions in that capacity and to all circumstances, he proves —

(i)  that  the  offence  was  committed  without  his knowledge; or

(ii)  that  the  offence  was  committed  without  his consent or connivance and that he had taken all reasonable precautions and exercised due diligence to prevent the commission of the offence.

Appeals

30.  (1)  Subject to subsection (2), any employer aggrieved by any order or decision made under this Act or any regulations made thereunder may, within thirty days of such order or decision in writing being received by him, appeal to the Minister.

(2)  An  appeal  against  the  order  or  decision  of  an  officer appointed under section 26 shall not be brought to the Minister unless and until such appeal shall have first been brought to the Director General within the time stipulated in subsection (1) .

(3)  The decision of the Minister in respect of an appeal under this section shall be final.

Failure to comply with order under section 5, 8, 12, 15 or 19

31.  Any  employer  who  fails  to  comply  with  any  order  made under  section 5,  8,  12,  15  or  19  commits  an  offence  and  shall, on  conviction, be  liable to  a  fine  not  exceeding  fifty thousand ringgit  and to  a  further  fine  of one thousand ringgit  a  day  for each day during which the offence continues.

Failure to comply with section 20 or 21

32.  Any resident manager who fails to comply with section 20 or with  any  requirement  of  the  Medical  Officer  of  Health  under section 21 commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand ringgit and to a further fine of  one  thousand  ringgit  a  day  for  each  day  during  which  the offence continues.

General penalty

33.  Any  employer  who  contravenes  any  provision  of  this  Act or  any  regulations  made  thereunder  or  who  fails  to  carry  out any order made by the Director General under this Act commits an offence under such provision, and if no penalty is expressly provided for the offence shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not  exceeding  fifty  thousand  ringgit  and  to  a  further  fine  not exceeding one thousand ringgit a day for each day during which the offence continues.

Part  VI

REPEAL AND SAVINGS

Repeal and savings in respect thereof

34. (1)  The  written  laws  specified  in  the  Schedule  to  this  Act are repealed.

(2)  Any regulations  made under  any of the laws repealed in subsection (1)  shall continue in force until revoked or replaced by regulations made under this Act.

(3)  The Minister may, whenever it appears to him necessary or expedient so to do whether for the purpose of removing difficulties or in consequence of the passing of this Act, by order make such modifications to any provision in any regulations in subsection (2) as he may think fit.

DICETAK OLEH

PERCETAKAN NASIONAL MALAYSIA BERHAD, KUALA LUMPUR

BAGI PIHAK DAN DENGAN PERINTAH KERAJAAN MALAYSIA WJW015332        27-08-2020